WYD experience of unity-in-diversity: microcosm of the
united human family we long to see

On Monday, 21 July [2008], before taking his leave of the
personnel of Cathedral House, the Holy Father celebrated Mass in private
in the Chapel. The Pope was then driven in the popemobile to the Domain,
a large public park located between the Central Business District and
the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Domain is the venue for numerous open air
events, including Sydney's Music Festival. here the Pope thanked the
World Youth Day volunteers, in all about 12,000 from the Church as well
as from civil institutions. The Holy
Father gave the following Address after a brief introduction by Cardinal
George Pell.

Dear Friends in Christ,

I thank Bishop Fisher and Cardinal Pell for their kind words and I am pleased to have this
opportunity to bid farewell to all of you and to say what a wonderful
experience this week has been. During these days we have been able to
witness at first hand the joy that so many thousands of young people
find in their faith, and we have been able to offer praise and
thanksgiving to God for his goodness to us. We have had a taste of the
warmth and generosity of Australian hospitality, and we have glimpsed
something of the glorious scenery of this beautiful continent. It has
truly been a week to remember.

None of this would have been possible, though, without a great deal of
preparation and sheer hard work during the period leading up to World
Youth Day. I want to thank all of you for the generous commitment of
time and energy you have made, in order to ensure the smooth running of
each of the events we have celebrated together. They have all required
careful coordination, involving civil authorities, police and first aid
agencies, as well as church personnel and a vast array of volunteers,
marshals and stewards. Your efforts have prepared the ground for the
Spirit to come down in power, forging bonds of unity and friendship
among young people from widely differing backgrounds, and rekindling
their love for Jesus Christ and his Church. In the crowds that have
assembled here in Sydney we have seen a vivid expression of the
unity-in-diversity of the universal Church, a vision in microcosm of the
united human family that we long to see. In the power of the Spirit, may
these young people make that vision a reality in the world of tomorrow.

I shall have an opportunity at the airport to thank the representatives
of the civil authorities. Here I want to express my deep gratitude to
all the bishops, priests, men and women religious, chaplains, teachers,
lay associations, ecclesial movements, host families, schools and parish
communities who have given so much to make World Youth Day a success. I
thank particularly Bishop Anthony Fisher and Mr Danny Casey, who have
worked so hard to coordinate all the different activities. We read in
the Acts of the Apostles that "it is more blessed to give than to
receive" (20:35) – but I trust that you will nevertheless have received
much from those you have served so generously in the course of our
celebrations. To all of you, I say a sincere and heartfelt "thank you".

As I set off on my journey back to Rome, I shall treasure the memory of
the many grace-filled events we have experienced together: from my first
encounter with the young people at Barangaroo, through the meetings at
Darlinghurst and Saint Mary’s Cathedral, to the Youth Vigil at Southern
Cross Precinct and the Final Mass there yesterday. I pray that you too
will take many precious memories and spiritual insights away with you,
and will return to your homes and families with fresh zeal to spread the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the power of the Spirit, go forth now to
renew the face of the earth!

As I bid you a fond farewell, I commend all of you to the loving
intercession of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians, I
invoke upon you the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit, and I assure you
of my continued prayers. God bless the young people of our world and God
bless the people of Australia!

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
23 July 2008, page 15

L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy See.
The Weekly Edition in English is published for the US by: